A-Level - SoftHardware / OS / Languages

Which of the following is the best definition of 'Hardware'?

• General term covering all computer programs.

• The set of instructions that tells the physical components what to do.

• All physical parts of a computer system and its related devices, both internal or external.

• Software needed to operate the computer's physical parts and run programs.

What is the fundamental relationship between hardware and software?

• Software is only useful after the hardware has finished executing its primary tasks.

• They are co-dependent; software is useless without hardware, and hardware is useless without software.

• Hardware manages system operations, while software is all the physical components.

• Hardware provides a mechanism for the user to interact with software, but software can run independently.

At its highest level, software is typically classified into which two broad categories?

• General-purpose and Bespoke software.

• System software and Programming language translators.

• Application software and System software.

• Operating systems and Utility software.

What is the primary function of Application software?

• To help the user perform specific tasks or applications (e.g., word processing, spreadsheets, etc.).

• To manage computer hardware resources.

• To provide a platform for running system software.

• To enhance the performance of the computer.

System software is defined as software that is necessary for what purpose?

• Performing specific, user-oriented tasks like composing a letter.

• Creating and managing a highly specific database application.

• Operating the computer's hardware and running applications and programs.

• Converting human-readable source code into object code.

Which of the following is not a main subcategory of System Software as detailed in the document?

• General purpose software.

• Utility software.

• Libraries.

• Programming language translators.

A key role of the Operating System (OS) is resource management. Which of the following is an example of this role?

• Performing a scheduled full or differential backup of user files.

• Managing the allocation of processors, memory, and I/O devices among different processes.

• Reorganising file fragments and free space on a hard disk drive.

What is the main purpose of Utility Software?

• To perform user-facing tasks that involve data manipulation and communication.

• To manage all the complex hardware details, such as bus arbitration.

• To link all code modules and libraries together before the program is executed.

• To keep the computer safe and running efficiently by providing management tools for the system.

Which system software component is typically grouped as ready-compiled and tested sub-routines that can be called by a programmer?

• The Loader.

• A Device Driver.

• An Operating System.

• A Library.

What concept describes the OS providing a layer of abstraction so that programs do not need to directly address hardware complexities?

• Resource Management.

• Black Box Abstraction.

• Hiding the complexity of the hardware.

• Dynamic Linking.